A conventional splicing tape, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,604, includes a paper backing, two double-sided adhesive layers (a first adhesive layer on top of the backing and a second adhesive layer on the bottom of the backing), a shorter splittable layer of paper provided below the second adhesive layer, and a third double sided adhesive layer provided below the splittable layer. The splittable layer of paper is designed to split into separate upper and bottom portions once the internal bonding forces (also known in the art as the Scott bond) due to the chemical composition and structure of the paper are exceeded.
In such a conventional splicing tape, the third adhesive layer is attached to the top side of the next to the top sheet of the new roll of paper and the second adhesive layer is attached to the top side of the top sheet of the new roll of paper. When the new roll of paper is brought into contact with the running web of an expiring or depleting roll, the exposed side of the first adhesive layer contacts and adheres to the running web. The resulting separating force due to the movement of the running web with respect to the new roll of paper overcomes the internal bonding forces of the splittable paper layer, causing this layer to split along a plane parallel to the adhesive layers, leaving the top sheet of the new roll of paper spliced to the running web.
As described above, the splittable paper layer splits when the splicing tape is subject to a predetermined force that exceeds the internal bonding forces. Therefore, the consistent performance of a conventional splicing tape that uses a splittable paper layer is highly dependent on the Scott bond consistency of the stock paper used for this layer. Therefore, this type of conventional splittable adhesive tape has limited applications, since, in order to provide conventional splicing tapes adapted for use in multiple splicing applications that produce different separating forces, a different paper stock having a particular Scott bond must be selected for each application, which is costly.
European Patent Application EP 1 223 133, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a splicing tape, including a backing layer coated on its lower and upper sides with a double-sided adhesive layer. Cleavage means or perforations extend in a transverse direction through the upper side adhesive layer and the backing layer. The cleavage means divides the backing layer into first and second portions, and the adhesive layer on the lower side extends along only one edge and partially across the width of the splicing tape so as not to extend over the second portion. The perforations provided in the backing layer allow a designer to control the force required to split the adhesive tape. When placed on a new roll, the splicing tape according to EP 1 223 133 tends to fold over, making it difficult to properly prepare the new roll for a splicing operation, and requiring the operator to possess a high level of skill.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.